Adapter for 8 mm. film reel



1970 1'. H. PATTON ADAPTER FOR 8 MM. FILM REEL Filed Nov. 12, 1968 /\'\"15,\/(1R: THOMAS H. PAT TON ATT'YS United States Patent Oflice 3,532,287 Patented Oct. 6, 1970 3,532,287 ADAPTER FOR 8 MM. FILM REEL Thomas H. Patton, Niles, Ill., assignor to Compco Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 774,804 Int. Cl. B65h 17/02 US. Cl. 242-683 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION With the advent of Super 8 film, there has been the need for adapting projectors to display both the Super 8 and the Regular 8 film. For example, many projectors are equipped with spindles having a diameter of about inch in diameter so as to receive and rotate the old type of Regular 8 reels. However, the new Super 8 reels have bores of the order of A inch in diameter. Thus, it has become necessary to provide an adapter or converter so as to be able to position in temporarily fixed relationship the Super 8 reel upon the Regular 8 projector spindle. In many cases this has taken the form of a simple sleeve which can be easily lost. The heretoforeknown adapting fittings have lacked the features which would have made their installation foolproof and also which would have prevented the fittings from being inadvertently removed.

Through the novel fitting of the invention, I have solved these previously existing difiiculties, particularly through the use of two elements having surfaces equipped with hermaphroditic means engageable to form a spool-like construction, each element of the fitting being equipped with novelly-interrelated lock and slot means to assure fool-proof installation, i.e., only one wayyet which establish the fitting in place against inadvertent loss or detachment. The provision of such fitting constitutes an important object of this inventionother objects and advantages being seen in the details of construction and operation as set down in the ensuing specification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention is described in conjunction with an illustrative embodiment as seen in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an 8 mm. reel equipped with the inventive fitting;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged scale, sectional view of the reel of FIG. 1 as would be seen along the sight line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the central portion of the reel of FIG. 1 but without the inventive fitting in place;

FIG. 4 is an exploded, perspective view of the central portion of the reel in FIG. 1 and with the component elements of the inventive fitting shown in positions just prior to assembly.

In the illustration given and with reference to FIG. 1, the numeral designates generally an 8 mm. reel sized to receive either Regular 8 or Super 8 film. In accordance with conventional practice. the central portion of the reel 10 is apertured as at 11 to receive a Super 8 spindle,

i.e., one having a diameter of the order of 34, inch. Radially outwardly of the aperture 11, the reel 10 is equipped with indented annular portions 12 which are united as at 13 (see FIG. 2) in order to integrate the two sides of the reel.

In the illustration given, the aperture 11 is enlarged at three circumferentially equally spaced apart points to provide grooves 14. The grooves 14 are adapted to receive the lock means (not shown) of a typical Super 8 spindle.

To convert the reel 10 for installation on a Regular 8 spindle, I provide an adapter fitting generally designated 15 (see FIG. 2). The fitting 15 is made up of two identical elements 16 and 16'. Each element, 16 or 16', as the case may be, includes a circular flange part 17 and a circular boss part 18 integral therewith. As can be readily appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 4, the boss part 18 projects axially from the flange part 17 and is equipped with a surface 19 that is parallel to the flange part 17. The surfaces 19 on the elements 16 and 16' are brought into confronting contacting relation as illustrated in FIG. 2. Each surface 19 is equipped with hermaphroditic means i.e., both male and female members so as to provide a superior interlock. The hermaphroditic means include posts 20 and recesses 21 as can be clearly appreciated from both FIGS. 2 and 4.

In the particular illustration given, I provide each element 16 with three radially extending slots 22 (designated only in the lefthand portion of FIG. 4) which are sized to receive the lock means of a Regular 8 spindle (not shown). The slots 22 extend axially and divide the boss part 18 into three identical circular segments (best seen in the righthand portion of FIG. 4).

Again, in the illustration given, each circular segment of the boss part 18 is equipped with an integral, radiallyextending key as at 23. The key 23 is arranged and sized so as to be received within supplemental groove 24 which extend radially outwardly from the aperture 11. The keys 23 in combination with grooves 24 insure that there will be no relative movement between the fitting 15 and the reel 10. In other words. any rotary motion applied to the fitting 15 by the Regular 8 spindle will necessarily be communicated to the reel 10. Because the elements 16 and 16' are identical, there is no wrong way" of assembling the same. These elements, as illustrated, will fit into the reel aperture 11 in only one way-all be it in any one of three positions with the three positions being identical. Thus, through the use of the elements illustrated including the integral flanges, keys and slots, I am able to provide a fitting that remains securely in place until this assembly is desiredwhereupon a simple, light prying action forces the elements apart to provide the fitting available for use with another reel or for storage. The fitting components, i.e., can be readily moved into coupled relation so that there is no possibility of component loss. For installation, the joint components are merely taken apart and inserted into opposite sides of the reel aperture 11, it being impossible to place these in an improper orientation.

While in the foregoing specification a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention has been set down for the purpose of illustration, many variations in the details herein given may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An adapter fitting for installation in a film reel normally apertured to receive a Super 8 spindle to convert the same to receive an 8 mm. spindle comprising two unitary identical hermaphroditic elements, each element including a circular flange part and a circular boss part integral axially therewith on one side is said flange. said boss part having a surface parallel to and spaced from said fiange part equipped with hermaphroditic means whereby set parts may be joined to form a spool-like fitting, each element being equipped with an axially extending bore and at least one radially disposed axially extending slot communicating with said bore, each boss part being equipped with at least one integral axially extending key positioned on the outside of said boss part.

2. The fitting of claim 1 in which each element is equipped with three slots spaced equally circumferentially about said bore to divide said boss into three equal circular segments, each element also being equipped with an integral key spaced midway between each of said slots.

3. The fitting of claim 2 in which said hermaphroditic means includes an integral post projecting axially of said surface on each segment and a recess adjacent to said post of a size to receive a post of the other element.

4. in combination, a reel sized to receive either 8 mm. or Super 8 movie film, said reel having an axially extending circular aperture sized to receive a Super 8 spindle, said aperture having at least two circumferentially spaced radially extending grooves communicating therewith and extending axially through said reel, one of said grooves being sized to receive lock means associated with said Super 8 spindle, the other said grooves being arranged to receive key means of an adapter sized to be received within said aperture to adapt said reel to receive an 8 mm. spindle, and an adapter removably mounted in said aperture, said adapter comprising two identical elements, each element having a flange part and a boss part with the boss part being hermaphroditie to couple the elements to form a spool, each element being equipped with an axially extending bore and at least one radially disposed axially extending slot communicating with said bore to receive lock means of an 8 mm. spindle, each boss part being equipped with at least one integral axially extending key means positioned on the outside of said boss part and sized to fit the other of said grooves, said key means, slot and grooves being so positioned relative to each other that when said key means is positioned in the said other groove, said slot and said one groove are aligned.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which each element is equipped with three slots spaced equally circumferentially about said bore to divide said boss part into three equal circular segments, each element also being equipped with an integral key means spaced midway between each of said slots, and said reel having corresponding grooves for each key means and slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,347,485 10/1967 Bundschuh 24268.3 3,375,995 4/1968 Roman 24268.3

NATHAN L. MINTZ, Primary Examiner 

